14 DAY TRIAL // Some time ago, neurologist Rivka Inzelberg with the Tel Aviv University in Israel noticed that, not too long after being diagnosed with Parkinson's, some people take a sudden interest in the arts, especially painting and writing.
Intrigued by this phenomenon, the researchers set out to explore how one such diagnosis could affect one person's thinking patterns and, consequently, their behavior. What the neurologist found is a tad bizarre.
Thus, evidence at hand indicates that, when compared to healthy individuals, those diagnosed with Parkinson's have higher levels of creativity, Live Science tells us.
Specifically, the outcome of a series of experiments carried out with the help of volunteers suggests that they have an easier time interpreting abstract images, explaining metaphors, and imagining and toying with various scenarios.
The link between Parkinson's and increased creativity is yet to be fully explained. However, it appears that the drugs people diagnosed with this medical condition are required to take have a say in the matter.
As detailed by Rivka Inzelberg, it is patients who take especially high doses of Parkinson's medication that are the most creative. This surge in creativity is believed to be due to an increase in dopamine levels.
Interestingly enough, one other possibility is that, as Parkinson's is taking its toll on certain areas of the brain, others that the medical condition has not yet affected become more active and encourage the manifestation of new thinking patterns.